


Between missions

by Iamnamedsilence



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 10:56:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10718016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamnamedsilence/pseuds/Iamnamedsilence
Summary: Two Alliance soldiers meet on a shore leave: one of them is after one of her first assigments, the other just before a mission that will change everything.





	Between missions

It was early 2183 and I couldn’t mistake the date. As I am thinking of it now, it was the only possible moment it could happen. I was back from a mission, excited by the things we discovered, but instead of using my shore leave to study more, as I usually did, I decided to follow the rest of my team and visit a bar. Not something I was used to do, but they insisted I should go out more and I thought they actually might be right.  
So we went. As I was informed it was the most popular bar on Mars – at least the most popular among Alliance personel and military ane yes, it was crowded with off-duty soldiers, not only from my team, but crews of several ships curently stationing on the planet and in the entire Sol system. It was loud and crowded and it was the first human-only bar I visited so I felt strange. My last time was on the Citadel, just before my brother and I were assigned to different tasks. I remember us drinking for our careers and starring at the asari dancer who performed in the club. I remember our childhood friends – not only humans – wishing us all the best. That was familiar. The bar I was currently in – was not.  
I sat with my team. Someone brought me a drink, so I drank, but I felt overwhelmed by it all. I was probably the youngest person around, barely twenty years old, with training and field experiance greater than most soldiers my age. It did not make me confident. I would rather be in the quaters, tucked in the bunk and analyzing the latest find. That interested me far more than geting drunk and seeking company for the night: and that was the pourpose for many of my teammates. Not judging them. I understood the need. Only it was not mine.  
I decided that it might help if I drink more, so i went to the bar. My team didn’t notice me leaving.  
I sat on the barstool and waited. The bar was crowded and I didn’t have enough confidence to call the bartender: or maybe I just wasn’t sure what I want to drink if anything? Nethertheless, this was a moment, when this woman sat next to me. I noticed her instantly: about ten years older than me, lean and well-built, the way she moved screamed „profesional”. I thought I’d like to be like her someday.  
I starred: too long, because she noticed. She turned her head and I met her eyes. At first I wanted to run away, but I decided I won’t be doing this. I smiled.  
She smiled back. She wore lipstick: bright red, something unusual for a professional soldier. A little personal tweak. I liked it.  
‘Hi’ I said.  
‘Hi, kid’ she answered.  
I didn’t like to be called „kid”. I told her that.  
She laughted.  
‘All right, how old are you then?’  
‘Would you buy me a drink if I tell you?’ I aksed.  
Was I trying to flirt with her? Have I already drank too much?  
‘That depends, kid.’  
‘On what?’  
‘On if you are old enough to drink.’  
‘I’m twenty.’  
The woman smiled.  
‘Hey, bartender! Pour the kid something light! On my account.’ she called.  
Soon I got a drink. Brightly collored, sweet and problably with just a symbolic amount of alcochol. But this amazing woman bought it for me and I appreciated this. And not that I wanted to get drunk anyway. I just wanted to feel more confident. I actually felt, when someone like her spoke to me.  
‘I’m Parvati’ I introduced myself.  
‘Janine’ she answered. ‘So, what are you doing here?’  
I shrugged.  
‘Exactly what others do: shore leave. My first.’  
‘I guessed this. But, what’s the mission.”  
I drank from my glass. I felt the sweetness of the juice and sharpness of alcohol behind it. It was good.  
‘Excavation. Artifact hunt. I was assignet to protect archeologists.’  
Janine smiled with approval and I suddenly felt appriceated and important.  
‘Was there need of protecting?’ she asked.  
‘No’ I answered ‘But I learned a lot. Did you know, that the Protheans...’  
I started to talk and talk, and she was listening. I ordered another drink and so did she.  
Finally I realized I should ask something about her.  
‘And you? What are you doing?’  
‘Currently? Getting assigned to a new ship.’  
‘And then?’  
‘Classffied.’  
‘Oh.’  
I had too much to do with classified things. That was too often dad’s answer.  
I finished my drink, stood up.  
‘I’m feel like dancing’ I anounced.  
Janine sat there for a while, but as I reached the dancefloor I saw her standing up and following me. I smiled, then closed my eyes and submited to the music. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Janine dancing beside me. She was horrible, her body made for fight, not for dancing, but I didn’t care. I was drunk – with alcohol, music, with admiration I felt for this woman. Probably that’s why I have mistaken this admiration for attraction. It happened as if I didn’t have control over myslef. I get closer to Janine and reached to put my hands on her hips.  
She pushed me away.  
‘What are you doing, kid?’ she asked sharply.  
I suddenly felt bad. Rejection always hurts.  
‘I… I thought...’  
Janine sighted.  
‘You are drunk. You are a kid. And your father would kill me. No. No fucking way.’  
I blinked.  
‘Dad? How do you know…?’  
Janine laughed.  
‘You’re one of Alec’s. Of course I guessed.’  
I felt decieved.  
‘You were takling to me because you know dad and thought I need to be protected?!’ I yelled. ‘I don’t need protection! I can take care of myself!’  
I turned around and walked out of the bar.  
Janine followed me.  
‘Parvati, wait!’  
I loked at her.  
‘What do you actually want?’  
‘Apologize’ she said. ‘Listen, Parvati, I wasn’t talking to you because your’e Alec’s daughter. And not because I wanted to flirt with you – although you are cute. But you seemed like a nice girl. And It was interesting what you were talking about.’  
I sighted.  
‘I’m sorry. I should… That’s not how I am usualy. Not adventerous at all.’  
Janine laughed.  
‘Oh, come on, kid, you’re adventerous just enough. I saw your eyes glowing when you were talking about discoveries. This is adventure – not geting drunk on a shore leave. And it would be something wrong with the universe if Alec’s daughter was boring. You’re great. A future of the Alliance. And I bet you will achieve something great in the future.’  
I smiled.  
‘I hope you’re right.’ I said.  
‘Oh, trust me, kid, I am.’  
‘Go back to the bar?’ I asked.  
She noded.  
‘Why not?’  
But before we reached the entrance, we saw a soldier approaching us.  
‘Commander!’ he called. ‘Here you are, commander! I was sent to find you. You’re needed!’  
‘Here goes my shore leave’ she sighted. ‘Thank you, private. Parvati’ she looked at me smiling. ‘It was nice to meet you. See you around.’  
‘See you’ I answered.  
But I have never met her again. Several months later she was the Alliance greatest hero and another month later – dead in her ship’s crash. Then I heard the rumors that she is alive somehow, but I was already too busy myslef.  
As I was getting ready for the longest sleep in my life, I was thinking of what she said to me. That the discovery was so important to me and that I am to achieve great things. And I knew she was right.

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed my girls to meet. I love them both too much.


End file.
